Chili

This is a great quick and easy "pantry" meal. I just experimented one day with the idea of Chili and, since everything is better with bacon, decided to throw some in along with my standard chili ingredients.   

I suppose that chili purists will think this is sacrilegious because it has both meat and beans and tomatoes.  I have it on good authority meat is evil.  Or beans are blasphemous.  Tomatoes?  How DARE I!!  Seriously, there are people out there who elevate chili to biblical status.  I am not one of them.  Beans - good.  Meat - good.  Tomatoes - good.  Bacon - good.



Chili with Meat, Beans, and Bacon

Ingredients:

4 slices humanely-raised, uncured bacon (I like Nieman Ranch), cut into small pieces
2 T olive or other oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 lb organic ground beef
1 clove garlic, diced
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground chili powder (less or more, to taste - this gets hotter as it cooks, so be careful!)
1 t dried oregano or 2T fresh, chopped
 2 cups prepared kidney beans (or 1 large can)
2 cups diced jarred or canned tomatoes and their juice
Approx 1 cup beef broth (I use "Better than Bullion")
Flat-leaf parsely, chopped

Method:
1) Saute bacon in large skillet until soft and starting to crisp
2) Add oil, onion, and ground beef, and saute until beef is cooked and onion is soft
3) Add garlic, cumin, and chili powder and saute for another minute or so
4) Add beans, tomatoes, and broth and stir
5) Simmer for 10 minutes until beans are heated through - you can make this WAY in advance and keep it warm on very low heat, covered, or in a slow cooker.
6) Garnish with parsely and serve with bread or chips.

This is great for kids, parties, and cold winter or spring days.  But mostly, this is man food: